


Warm My Heart

by puff22_2001



Series: A Human Heart in a Kaiju Cage [1]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alien Biology, Angst, Bioluminescence, Cold, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Kaiju Newton Geiszler, Male Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-29
Updated: 2013-11-29
Packaged: 2018-01-02 22:32:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1062430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puff22_2001/pseuds/puff22_2001
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cold and lonely is a kaiju's life without a friend. Luckily, Newt has one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Warm My Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alienfirst](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alienfirst/gifts).



> Although this piece is a prequel to my explicitly-Newmann work "Light My Path," this piece can be read as a strictly friendship-only work. I just love Hemann and Newt in an capacity. :3

He was cold. Again. In the lab was practically a freezer thanks to all of the open space and metal instruments. Sadly, it wasn’t like Newt could leave anymore without suffering a panic attack. The lack of skin or most of his hair certainly didn’t help and, being cold-blooded now, Newt could never get warm enough.

Hermann would laugh if he knew for certain, Newt was sure. The biologist had made enough fun of Hermann for being cold in the past that he wouldn’t be surprised if the taller scientist took his chance to sling some back. But Newt never meant to be an asshole about it; he just didn’t think sometimes and hurt people. Like Hermann and himself by drifting with a kaiju and turning into one of the damn things.

“Fuuuck.” Newt moaned as best he could around his mandibles. Although he’d begun to relearn typing, it was hard enough with his claws alone, and his joints ached with the chill. Hermann had left to get lunch for them both (a mercy for Newt, who wasn’t yet comfortable around other people) and had taken his human warmth with him.

Newt was clingy, he knew. He’d been touchy-feely even as a human, and he’d gotten a hundred times worse as he slowly transformed. And Hermann, for all his complaints of being perpetually cold, was a veritable furnace to Newt now. When his tails were ice and his four new eyes squinted against the wind, the only thing that Newt could find to warm him just happened to be the nearest human.

Hermann, bless the man, actually said little when the kaiju hybrid would casually sidle up to him, some mundane question as an excuse, and then remain like a shadow for hours. Newt tried not to hover too often (both to save his pride and because he knew how Hermann disliked too much physical contact), but it was just so heavenly next to a being that still let off heat—and still let him come near. Newt’s own natural warmth was gone and he missed it dearly.

“Newt? Are you still in here?” Hermann called as Newt gave up his laborious report. He’d just have to do as Hermann said and try his recorders again. The prospect further dampened Newt’s mood. His voice was so different that his beloved recorders were just sad reminders now.

But food and Hermann had arrived. The creature turned on his haunches, his glowing patches of skin brightening at the prospect of two of his favorite things.

Hermann smiled as he set the tray down before sitting heavily in his chair and hooking his cane to the desk. Newt bounded over like a very large puppy and nosed at the collection of eats.

“No fruit, huh?” Newt croaked out. They hadn't yet mastered actual mind-speak versus simple images and impressions, and Hermann wanted to be sure that he always knew exactly what Newt wanted.

“I’m afraid not. Rations are still scarce for fresh produce thanks to the Triple Event.” Hermann said with an air of resignation while he took the knife from the tray and began to cut one of the large sandwiches into smaller bites. As he did so, Newt quietly curled around his legs (ever mindful of the weak one) and soaked up Hermann’s energy. The brisk walk and the thick trousers made the thin legs feel like a warm bath after sledding when Newt was a child. Even as a small part of his mind knew that he was seriously crossing lines, Newt lay down and purred, his tails twining around Hermann and warming themselves on his arms and chest.

The thin man stilled for one moment in his movements and Newt tensed. He didn’t want to make Hermann uncomfortable; he didn’t want to lose his one real friend and remaining connection to his humanity. But he was _so_ cold and so, _so_ lonely.

“Did you want ham or turkey? I think it’s even real meat today.” Hermann asked after a moment in which Newt silently worked his mandibles, trying to apologize and explain as images of fear and guilt flitted through his mind. Newt lifted his head and gave one quick look at his friend. An unreadable expression was there on his face, the sharp lines in contrast to the soft amber eyes and the feelings of friendship and kindness that wafted from Hermann's mind. Newt purred again and moved his head to Hermann’s good knee. He nosed his snout into the warm lining of that ridiculous windbreaker.

“Both?” Newt mumbled as he breathed deeply. He was only warming his snout; if he happened to get a good whiff of Hermann—chalk and tea and wind—then that was just a bonus.

“How am I not surprised?” Hermann said with an affectionate sigh as he gently pushed Newt’s face out of his jacket and offered a large chunk of sandwich. Newt took it with gusto and chewed as he warmed himself at Hermann’s feet.

**Author's Note:**

> "Issues with body temperature . . . this is also why I have him being incredibly clingy to Hermann. Partly it’s because Hermann’s still there for him after the change, partly because Newt just wants to be warm." - Otachi's Tongue
> 
> I asked Otachi for prompts, since I missed writing fanfiction, and she beautifully delivered! I went back and read a lot of her headcanon for Kaiju!Newt to try and understand him, so hopefully this piece is decent. Please, please, please suggest changes and improvements!


End file.
